Method and apparatus for fluid proportioning

Abstract

An apparatus for dispensing plural component materials under pressure having at least a first and a second component and a desired ratio between the components is disclosed. The apparatus includes at least a first and a second pump, each of the pumps has an outlet and an inlet connected to one of the components. Each of the pumps has a driver connected by a shaft to drive the pumps and a sensor coupled to the shaft. Each of the sensors output a signal relational to a volume being pumped by the driver-pump set to which the sensor is connected. There is at least a first and a second fluid regulator each with an input, an output and a control; each input is attached to the outlet of one of the pumps. The outputs of the fluid regulators are connected to a mixing manifold for mixing the component materials. A controller electrically coupled to the sensors determines the output of each pump and adjusts the output ratio of the components to approximate the desired ratio by controlling each of the fluid regulators.

1 . An apparatus for dispensing plural component materials under pressure having at least a first and a second component and a desired ratio between the components, the apparatus comprising:
 at least a first and a second pump, each of the pumps having an outlet and having an inlet connected to one of the components;   a first and a second driver, each driver being connected by a shaft to drive one of the pumps, each of the pumps, shaft and driver forming a driver-pump set;   a sensor coupled to each of the driver-pump sets, each of the sensors outputting a signal relational to a volume being pumped by the driver-pump set to which the sensor is connected;   at least a first and a second fluid regulator each having an input, an output and a control, each input attached to the outlet of one of the pumps;   a mix manifold connected to the fluid regulator outputs of the fluid regulators for mixing the component materials;   a controller electrically coupled to the sensors, the controller adapted to determine an output volume of each pump and adapted to adjust an output ratio of the components to approximate the desired ratio by controlling each of the fluid regulators.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus for dispensing plural component materials of  claim 1 , wherein the controller counts pulses from the sensors to determine the output volume of each pump. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus for dispensing plural component materials of  claim 1 , wherein each sensor generates one or more pulses per stroke of the pump to which it is coupled. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus for dispensing plural component materials of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is electrically coupled to each of the fluid regulators. 
   
   
       5 . The apparatus for dispensing plural component materials of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is electrically coupled to control one or more air pressure modulators, each air pressure modulator having an input coupled to a source of air pressure and an output coupled to one of the fluid regulators for controlling the fluid regulator. 
   
   
       6 . The apparatus for dispensing plural component materials of  claim 1 , wherein each of the sensors includes at least one magnet affixed to one of the shafts and an induction coil electrically coupled to the controller, the inductor coil in proximity to a travel path of the at least one magnet. 
   
   
       7 . The apparatus for dispensing plural component materials of  claim 1 , wherein each of the sensors includes at least one optical interrupter coupled to one of the shafts, a light source and a photo detector, the photo detector electrically coupled to the controller, the light source aiming at the photo detector and the interrupter passing between the light source and the photo detector so as to interrupt the light and generate an output pulse each time the interrupter passes between the light source and the photo detector. 
   
   
       8 . The apparatus for dispensing plural component materials of  claim 1 , wherein the sensors are selected from the group consisting of pneumatic proximity sensors and electronic proximity sensors. 
   
   
       9 . A method of dispensing plural component materials under pressure having at least a first and a second component and a desired ratio between the components, a first pump continuously pumping the first component and a second pump continuously pumping the second component, the method performed by a computer, the method comprising:
 (a) inputting the desired ratio and storing the desired ratio in the computer;   (b) outputting a fully-operative voltage by the computer to a first fluid regulator associated with the first pump;   (c) determining a partial-operative voltage based upon the desired ratio and outputting the partial-operative voltage to a second fluid regulator associated with the second pump;   (d) for a period of time, the computer counting a number of cycles of the first pump and the computer counting a number of cycles of the second pump;   (e) the computer determining a current ratio by dividing the number of cycles of the second pump by the number of cycles of the first pump;   (f) if the current ratio is greater than the desired ratio, the computer reducing the partial-operative voltage and outputting the partial-operative voltage to the second fluid regulator;   (g) if the current ratio is less than the desired ratio, the computer increasing the partial-operative voltage and outputting the partial-operative voltage to the second fluid regulator; and   (h) repeating steps d-h.   
   
   
       10 . The method of dispensing plural component materials under pressure according to  claim 9 , wherein the computer is a programmable logic controller. 
   
   
       11 . The method of dispensing plural component materials under pressure according to  claim 9 , wherein the inputting is performed on a keypad. 
   
   
       12 . The method of dispensing plural component materials under pressure according to  claim 9 , wherein the inputting is performed on a keyboard. 
   
   
       13 . The method of dispensing plural component materials under pressure according to  claim 9 , wherein the computer counting the number of cycles includes monitoring an input port, the input port electrically interfaced to a sensor associated with one of the pumps. 
   
   
       14 . An apparatus for dispensing plural component materials under pressure having a first and a second component and a desired ratio between the components, the apparatus comprising:
 a first pump means having an outlet and having an inlet connected to the first component;   a second pump means having an outlet and having an inlet connected to the second component;   a first driver means connected by a first shaft means to the first pump means;   a second driver means connected by a second shaft means to the second pump means;   a first sensor means coupled to the first shaft means and adapted to output a signal relational to a volume being pumped by the first pump means;   a second sensor means coupled to the second shaft means and adapted to output a signal relational to a volume being pumped by the second pump means;   a first fluid regulator means having an input, and output and a control, the first fluid regulator means input attached to the outlet of the first pump means;   a second fluid regulator means having an input, and output and a control, the second fluid regulator means input attached to the outlet of the second pump means;   a mix manifold means connected to the output of the first fluid regulator means and connected to the output of the second fluid regulator means for mixing the component materials;   a controller means electrically coupled to the first sensor means and electrically coupled to the second sensor means, the controller means adapted to determine an output volume of each pump means and adapted to adjust an output ratio of the components to approximate the desired ratio by controlling each of the fluid regulator means.   
   
   
       15 . The apparatus for dispensing plural component materials of  claim 14 , wherein the controller means counts pulses from the sensor means to determine the output volume of each pump means. 
   
   
       16 . The apparatus for dispensing plural component materials of  claim 14 , wherein each sensor means generates one or more pulses per stroke of the pump means to which it is coupled. 
   
   
       17 . The apparatus for dispensing plural component materials of  claim 14 , wherein the controller means is electrically coupled to each of the fluid regulator means. 
   
   
       18 . The apparatus for dispensing plural component materials of  claim 14 , wherein the controller means is electrically coupled to control two air pressure modulator means, each air pressure modulator means having an input coupled to a source of air pressure and an output coupled to one of the fluid regulator means for controlling the flow of components through the fluid regulator means. 
   
   
       19 . The apparatus for dispensing plural component materials of  claim 14 , wherein each of the sensor means includes at least one magnet means affixed to one of the shaft means and an induction coil means electrically coupled to the controller means, the induction coil means in proximity to a travel path of the at least one magnet means. 
   
   
       20 . The apparatus for dispensing plural component materials of  claim 14 , wherein each of the sensor means includes at least one optical interrupter means coupled to one of the shaft means, a light source means and a photo detector means, the photo detector means electrically coupled to the controller means, the light source means aiming at the photo detector means and the interrupter means passing between the light source means and the photo detector means so as to interrupt the light and generate an output pulse each time the interrupter means passes between the light source means and the photo detector means. 
   
   
       21 . An apparatus for dispensing plural component materials under pressure having at least a first and a second component and a desired ratio between the components, the apparatus comprising:
 a first and a second pump, each of the pumps having an outlet and having an inlet connected to one of the components;   a first and second driver, the first driver connected by a first shaft to the first pump forming a first driver-pump set and the second driver connected by a second shaft to the second pump forming a second driver-pump set;   a first sensor coupled to the first driver-pump set and a second sensor coupled to the second driver-pump set, each of the sensors outputting a signal relational to a volume being pumped by the driver-pump set to which the sensor is connected;   a fluid regulator each having an input, an output and a control, the input attached to the outlet of the first pump;   a mix manifold having a first input connected to the output of the fluid regulator and having a second input connected to the output of the second pump, the mix manifold for mixing the component materials;   a controller electrically coupled to the sensors, the controller adapted to determine an output volume of each pump and adapted to adjust an output ratio of the components to approximate the desired ratio by controlling the fluid regulator.   
   
   
       22 . The apparatus for dispensing plural component materials of  claim 21 , wherein the controller is electrically coupled to the fluid regulator. 
   
   
       23 . The apparatus for dispensing plural component materials of  claim 21 , wherein the controller is electrically coupled to control an air pressure modulator, the air pressure modulator having an input coupled to a source of air pressure and an output coupled to the fluid regulator for controlling the fluid regulator. 
   
   
       24 . The apparatus for dispensing plural component materials of  claim 1 , wherein each of the sensors includes at least one magnet affixed to one of the shafts and an induction coil electrically coupled to the controller, the inductor coil in proximity to a travel path of the at least one magnet. 
   
   
       25 . The apparatus for dispensing plural component materials of  claim 1 , wherein each of the sensors includes at least one optical interrupter coupled to one of the shafts, a light source and a photo detector, the photo detector electrically coupled to the controller, the light source aiming at the photo detector and the interrupter passing between the light source and the photo detector so as to interrupt the light and generate an output pulse each time the interrupter passes between the light source and the photo detector.